USS Belknap (DD251/AV8/APD34)

My grandfather, Lewis Swart, served aboard the U.S.S. Belknap during WWII, and achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer.

W.C. Stuart and L.L. Swart

In the last few weeks, I’ve been corresponding with descendants of other gallant sailors who were aboard this vessel. We’ve discovered some fascinating stories and uncovered a few mysteries!

I’m looking for other shipmates who served with my grandfather or their descendants. Please contact me if you are connected to the Belknap!

The ship served as an escort vessel in the Atlantic during the early years of the war, but was involved in the liberation of the Philippines in 1944 & 1945.

While in the Lingayen Gulf in January 1945, she was struck by a Japanese kamikaze, which exploded on the deck of the ship.

Thirty-eight men died and 49 were wounded.

U.S.S. Belknap

Also aboard the Belknap were the “frogmen” of Underwater Demolitions Team 9 (UDT-9). Several of these men were also killed.

I have been compiling a list of the crew, and I would like to make it as complete as possible. Please help if you can! I’m also seeking stories, photographs, and other documents.

Crewmen  of the U.S.S. Belknap (names found to date.)

LAS= Lost at Sea.   MIA= Missing in Action.

Alfonso	John Fransisco	SC 2c.	5515374	MIA
Bessom	Edward F.	SOM 2c.	2037384		Killed1/12/45
Constantine	Alfred F.	F 3c	8989796	LAS	Killed 1/12/45
Cook	Lewis D.	Sea 1c.	8944544	MIA
Dossett	Luther D.	WT 1c	6343372		Killed1/12/45
Grauer	Carl
Hoffman	Kenneth L.	MM 2c	3378325	LAS
Johnson	Benny				Wounded
Kimble	Edward Wilson	Sea 1c.	9274705		KIA 1/12/45
Kingsley	James E.	LTJG	227761	LAS
Mattes	John J.	EM 1c	7075794
Moon	Harvey R.	WT 2c	2691321	LAS
Oliver	William G.	WT 3c
Parker	Robert M.	Y 3c	2023341	LAS	KIA 1/12/45
Pelletier	Raymond G.A.
Pietrowski	John S.	GM 3c	6084926	LAS
Ponder	Roy R.	WT 3c	6043384	LAS
Rodriguez	James L.	MOMM 2c	5556107	LAS
Shumaker	Richard A.	Sea 2c	7236732	LAS
Skeen	Charles A.	F 2c	8898416		Killed1/12/45
Snow	Francis C.	F 1c	2091912	LAS
Stewart
Swart	Lewis Lester	CPO			wound 1/12/45
Sweeth	William J.	Sea 2c	8102894	LAS
Trainor	James J.	GM 2c	6467382	LAS
Volters	Charles A.	F 1c	2247120	MIA
Warren	Cedric T.	Std 2c	8151246	LAS
Weider	Frank P.	F 1c	7624575	LAS	Bur @ Sea.
Whitney	George	Seaman 2c.
Wilmoth	Reubin M.	Sea 2c	6597464	LAS
Withers	William	StM 1c	9068093		Died 1/12/45
Woitowicz	Theodore	F 1c	8118291	LAS

Members of UDT-9 aboard the U.S.S. Belknap during the fall of 1944 and January 1945.

Castillo	Guadalupe	Sea 1c.	9425018	LAS
Dickson	Hiram B.	Ensign			Still Living
Gamache	Wilfred Dolar	CCM	8031577	LAS	Killed1/12/45
Hopkins	Robert Lee	CM 3c	8872391	LAS
Lewis	William R.	SM 3c	8768328	LAS
Malfeo	Marvin Antonio	Ensign	0-332004		Killed1/12/45
Rossart	Joseph William	MM 2c	8906175	MIA	Killed1/12/45
Scoggins	F. P.	SK 1c	8473300	MIA
Sugden	William Lloyd	GM 3c	8709316	LAS

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